Urban Valor: the podcast - From SoCal Gangster To Army Ranger Warrior! (OG Pumpkin) 🇺🇸

From SoCal Gangster To Army Ranger Warrior! (OG Pumpkin) 🇺🇸

Explicit content warning

11/07/22 • 51 min

Urban Valor: the podcast

This week’s Urban Valor episode features Army Ranger veteran, Angel Cortes (aka OG Pumpkin). Angel grew up poor and malnourished and wound up getting jumped into a gang.
As a gangster, he found himself selling guns and drugs and running the streets. Eventually, Angel decided to make a life change and enlisted in the Army. He served multiple combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan and became one of the best of the best, an Army Ranger.
Since transitioning out of the military, Angel has become a huge advocate on giving back as a community leader and entrepreneur.

Previous Episode

Wounded Sniper Plays Dead as Enemies Approach [Vietnam War Veteran] 🇺🇸

This week’s Urban Valor episode features Marine Scout Sniper & Vietnam combat veteran, RJ Jackson. RJ enlisted into the Marine Corps in 1966 after hearing one of his good friends was shot and killed in Vietnam. He was selected to become a scout sniper after demonstrating expert proficiency with his rifle. During his tour in Vietnam, RJ was ambushed and wounded multiple times. During one ambush he was hit with a grenade and took shrapnel all over his body. As he lay on the ground to play dead, several enemy fighters walked past him thinking he wasn’t alive. RJ said some of the enemy fighters who walked by him were Chinese, which one of his Lieutenants confirmed later.
Sitting down with and hearing RJ story was an honor, and we're proud to have documented it and solidified it's place in history.
At Urban Valor, our mission is to give Veterans a voice by presenting them with a platform to share THEIR story in THEIR words, allowing them to share the story they wish to share. Urban Valor is an organization that documents the stories of veterans in their own words and recollection

Next Episode

Marine Wakes Up To Corpsman Drilling Metal Rod Through His Knee!

This week’s Urban Valor episode features retired Marine First Sergeant, Nelson Coburn. Nelson grew up in Brooklyn, NY. His biological father spent most of his life in prison, which ultimately took his life. Nelson spent approximately 22 years in the Marines. He began as a mortarman and served as a Drill Instructor, Marine Security Guard, Scout Sniper Platoon Sergeant, and Personal Security Detail for the Commanding General. Nelson repeatedly found himself in trouble throughout his enlistment, but always managed to work his way out. After sustaining a training injury, Nelson woke up in the middle of surgery to two Corpsman drilling a metal rod through his knee, which was supposed to end his military career. However, Nelson’s determination to stay in the Marine Corps beat the doctor’s odds.